Bracket for connecter heads



March 21, 1933.

E. A. ROBINSON BRACKET FOR CONNECTER HEADS Original Filed May 31, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet yl 0 O Z "ME" jl E@ March 21, 1933. E, A ROBiNSON 1,902,101

BRACKET FOR CONNECTER HEADS original Filed May 31. 195o 2 sheets-sheet 2 Patented Mar. 21,v 1933 "UNITED STATES PATENT" .OFFICE @EDWARD ARTHR ROBINSON, or MONCLREAL, QUEBEC, CANADA, AssIGNoR 'ro JOSEPH ROBINSON, OE NEW YORK, N. Y.

p BRAcxE'r EOR OONNECTER HEADS f' Applicatonled May 31,V 1930, Serial No. 457,943. Renewed ugust 10,v 1,932. 1 l Y My invention relates Vto a bracket for train pipeconnecters. v f

A purpose. of myinvention is to vertically support thespaced arms of a train pipe connecter on horizontal laterally spaced co-axial pivot members; that extend inwardly toward` one another from laterally spaced downward.-

ly extending arms of a `bracket fastened to thetrain. v

A further purpose-is to provide a bracket having laterally spaced downwardly extending arms that present inwardly directedpivot projections for vertically supporting the arms of a connecter and in an alinement parallel therewith, outwardly spaced therefrom and preferably also spaced somewhat forwardly thereof to present a pivot support to the inner end or ends of rearwardly extending vtie bolts, that support spring means for pressing the connecter forwardly.

A further purpose is to makethe bracket for a train pipe connecter in the general form of a capital H, fastening the bracket to the train at the upper ends of the Vvertical members of the H, slidably supporting the connecter uponalined inward pivotprojections from the vertical members nearthe lower.

ends thereof and pivotally connecting the rearwardly extending tie bolts to such ver-v tical members and supporting on such tie bolts suitable spring means for pressing the connecter forwardly.

Further purposes will appear in thev speciinvention and supporting one form of connecten k tiontaken upon'the line 2-2 of Figure 1. y

Figure 2ais ai view corresponding generally to Figure 2 but showing aV somewhat different form.

Figure Sis a vertical section taken upon they I have elected to show one main forni onlyl Figure 2 is a fragmentary horizontal sec-v line 5--5 of Figure 5 but omitting connecterl structure shown in Figure 2. Figurestand 5 arerear andfront eleva-A tions of the bracket shown inFigures 1y to 8.-

Figure is a side elevation of structure shown inFigures4 and 5.1 l l 1 Like numerals refer to like parts inall figures.V Describing in illustration and not in limitation and referring to the drawings :--.v

k,My bracket, asbest seen in Figures l to 6, comprises a casting 10,l preferably integral and .having a general form of a capital H. v l; f The upper ends of ,the upper verticall arms or members are bifurcated and vertically slit so as to` present upwardly directed flanges 1l and 12 to downwardly directed'flanges,not shown, ofthe train structure, the. slits at 13 and 14; providing a resilience in the clamping engagement with the train structure. -j 7 0 f The lower arms or members 15 and 16 of the HI are given an eye and pivot'formation, the arms being perforated at 17 and 18 in a direction parallel to [the lengthfof thecar above and belowpivot portions 19 and 2O forl 75 holding the hook ends of tie-bolts 2.1.

The .pivots 19 an`d-20 are preferably of l 'least diameter in the middle, flaring toward prising relatively perpendicular webs '27 and 28 that are respectively lateral and longitudinal of the train, making the bracket as awhole strong and light;

'v 'The innersides of the downwardly extend- 95* ing armsar'e `adequatelyrounded at 29 to permit angular playof the connecter larms vto accommodate the change in alinementof the cars during travel. f.

While my invention is Yadapted to, usewith different forms of connecter I have illustrated it with a connecter having forwardly directed hook arms, 24 and 25 that engage the upper and lower sides of the pivot projections 22 and 23 respectively.

Rearwardly of the hook arms I have provided a cross plate which connects the arms together and extends laterally outwardly across the forward ends of the springs 31 ward ends of the tie bolts`21 and the rearward face of the cross plate 30.

In Figures 1 and 2 the connecter 26 is indicated engaging' al cooperating connecter 26 of another car, the connecter having been pressed somewhat rearwardly by its engagement with its fellow `connecter so that the plate 30 isl spaced somewhat rearward from the pivots 22 and 23. 2o

rearwardly and forwardly on the inward pivot projections 22 and 23, *during this movement being continuously pressed for- Lward by the compressed springs 31 and 32 andare adapted to angular movement while rearwardly deflected in either horizontal or vertical direction, the inwardly directed surfaces 29 of the bracket being curved to accommodate the desired universal play of the connecter.

Figure 2 shows the connecter in two positions, the full line position being that at which the connecter is in alinement with the car and the dot-and-dash position representing the connecter at an angle with the car as incident to the connecting cars being out ofvalinement. Y v

' In the'structure of Figures 1 and 2 the hook ytie bolts 21 extend rearwardly from the pivots 19 and 20 through outwardly directed slots 33in.the cross plate 3() to which the connecter arms are rigidly connected.

- The rearwardly directed4 facelof-the plate receives 'the forward ends of the springs 31 45 and 32, one spring for each tie bolt, the

. springs surrounding the tie bolts and presenting their rearward vends against f forwardly directed faces 34 of nuts 35 upon the F6 rearward ends of the tie bolts. l I showthe nuts 35 provided with internal sockets k36v adapted to receive av suitable wrench or tool forl loosening or Vtightening the nuts, also with the, forwardly directed shoulders 34 to receive the outer ends of the springsand forward extensions 37 within the rearward ends of the springs for despring with respect to the nuts.

. In the modified form shown in Figure 2a, I use one large central spring 38instead of the smaller springs that surround the tie The spring 38 is wholly'intermediate the c5 tie bolts and may desirably have a considerand 32 that are compressed between the rear#V lThe connecter is thus `adapted to slide.

ably larger diameter than the springs of Figures 1 and 2.

The tie bolts support a transverse plate or abutment 39 which is provided with a forwardly directed seat at 40 adapted to definitely position the rearward end of the spring. I

The brackets of the two forms may be identical but the cross plate connection 30 between the arms of the'connecter ofthe second form may be desirably smaller than the plate l30 in the first form and in both forms the cross'plate should be provided with lugs 41er 41 adapted to properly position the springs vor spring. Y

In view of my invention and disclosure variations and modifications to meet individual whim or particularneed will `doubtless become evident to others vskilled in the art, to obtain all or part of the benets of my invention without copying the structure shown, and I, therefore, claim all such in so far as they" fall within the reasonable spirit and scope of my invention. A

Having thus described my invention, what I claim asv new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:-

1. A bracket, laterally spaced downward extensions thereon, Vinwardly directed horizontalpivotprojections from the extensions relatively alined and adapted'vto give pivot support to atrain pipe connecter arranged between said extensions of the bracket, a rearwardly extending tie bolt from each extension pivotally connected therewith and spring means rearwardly supported by the rear end of the tie boltsfor'pressing the connecter resiliently forwardly. 1 j

2. A bracket for a train pipe connecter having the general form of a capital H, means on the upper end of-each of the upper vertical members of the H for fastening the same to a train structure, the lower vertical members below the crossV of the H being adapted to span-a train'pipe connecter, inward horiz ontal alined pivot projections from the lower vertical members below the cross of the H giving pivot ysupport tosaid connecter, and each lower vertical member having a pivot which is pivotally engaged by a rearwardly extending tie bolt. l y

3. In a train pipe connecter,'a connecter head having rearwardly extending arms, a cross connection between the armsat the rearward ends thereof, each of said arms presenting vertically spaced forwardly and reary Vwardly extending surfaces, a bracket, laternitely positionlng'the rearward ends ofthe ally spaced downwardly extending members on the bracket spanning the connecter arms, inward pivot projections on said members for giving the connecter arms vertical support between' said members and along said surfaces, a tie bolt extending rearwardly from each of the bracket members, a pivot connectionA betweeneach member and tie bolt and spring means forwardly engaging said cross Y connection and supported from rearward expansion by the tie bolts.

4. In a train pipe connecter, a connecter head having rearwardly extending arms, `a cross connection between the arms at the rearward ends thereof, each of said arms presenting vertically spaced forwardly and rearwardly extending surfaces, a bracket extending downwardly from a train, laterally spaced downwardly extending arms on the bracket spanning the connecter arms, inward pivot projections on thearms of the bracket for giving the connecter arms vertical support between the arms of the-bracket'and along said surfaces, a tie bolt extending rearwardly from each of the bracket arms and pivotally connected therewith and a compressed spiral spring surrounding eachvtie bolt, forwardly engaging the said cross connection and supported from rearward expansion by the tie bolt.

5. A bracket for supporting a train pipe connecter, said bracket having laterally spaced downwardly extending arms, a horizontally arranged inwardly extending pivot on each of said arms, said pivots being spaced Y apart and arranged in horizontal alignment,

and each of said arms having a pivotal connection for a tie rod.

6. In combination, a bracket having later' ally spaced downwardly extending arms, a horizontally arranged inwardly extending pivot on each of said arms, a connecter head, a support for said head extending rearwardly past said bracket and between said arms, said support being slidably and pivotally mounted on said pivots, a tie rod pivotally engaging each of said arms and extending rearwardly thereof, and spring means supa support for said head extending rearward- ,7,

ly between said arms and having a transverse portion arranged to contact with said bracket, said support being slidably and pivotally mounted on said pivots, a tie rod pivotally connected to each of said` arms and extendin rearwardly thereof past said transverse portion on the head supporting member, an abutment carried by said tie rods, and a spring arranged between said abutment and said transverse portion of the head support forv pressing the latter toward the bracket.

EDWARD ARTHUR ROBINSON.`

ported by said tie rods and acting against said head support to press the same forwardly relative to the bracket.

7 In combination, a bracket having laterally spaced arms adjacent its lower end,fa Q

horizontally arranged inwardlyextending pivot on each of said arms, a connecter head,

Ya support for said head extendingrearwardly between said arms and having a transverse portion arranged to contact with said bracket, said support being slidably and kpivotally mounted on said pivots, a coiled spring positioned at the rear of the bracket and having its front end arranged to press said transverse portion of the head support towardthe bracket, and means pivotally connected to the bracket for supporting the rear endof the spring.

8. In combination, a bracket having laterally spaced arms adjacent its lower end, a horizontally arranged inwardly extending pivot oneach of said arms, a connecter head, a support for said head extending rearwardly ns n between said arms and having a transverse v portion arranged to contact withsaid brack- 13avr 

